Suggestions for Rescues

To be fair, many ethical rescues do a GREAT job!!! However, one thing I have noticed at the local rescue organizations and shelters is that they don't understand some practical ways that they could be more effective in their goals. Here are some of my suggestions:

My first suggestion is to buy a cheaper, better quality brand of pellets. Oxbow and Sherwood are the most commonly used pellets in shelters and rescues, and are RIDICULOUSLY overpriced. They aren't even that great quality either. Let's do a little math to figure out how much money is wasted on these lesser quality but more expensive pellets:

Sherwood is $31.49 for 10 lbs. That averages at about $3.15 per lb. If we feed a rabbit Sherwood for one year, assuming the rabbit eats 1/2 cup a day, that would be 3 oz a day. That means you would need to buy 6.85 bags per year. That means you spend $215.64 on feeding that rabbit for one year. And that doesn't take hay into account, or the ridiculous amount spent unnecessarily on greens. Most of my local rescues have about 100 rabbits as an average. So that means they spend approximately $21,564 on pellets ALONE per year. I can't even imagine how much that is once you include greens and hay.

Let's look at how much Templeton feed, a high-quality show rabbit pellet, which is MUCH better quality than Oxbow and Sherwood, compares. Templeton is $17.99 for 50 lbs. That's $0.36 per lb. If you feed one rabbit Templeton for a year, assuming it eats the same 1/2 a cup or 3 oz per day, you would need to buy 1.36 bags per year. It would therefore cost $24.47 to feed one rabbit pellets for a year. This is assuming you have lots of rabbits so the large amount of feed won't go stale because it will be used up quickly. Assuming the rescue still has an average of 100 rabbits, they would spend $2447 to feed 100 rabbits pellets for a year.

That means, on PELLETS alone...the rescues waste............$19,117 per year!!!!!!!!!!!Not to mention, they feed a WORSE quality pellet than the cheaper option!!!!!!!!!!! That just seems insane to me. All that money could be put to such good use, but they waste it.

Another suggestion I have for the rescues is to stop giving so many damn greens! The greens cause bloating and gas, plus they aren't at all necessary if you feed your rabbits a good quality pellet. I had several rabbits die of gas bloats years ago, and the deaths stopped INSTANTLY when I stopped feeding greens. Any breeder will tell you the same thing. Greens aren't necessary or healthy for the domestic rabbit. Not to mention, it would save a LOT of money!!

Another suggestion is to not be sooo picky about your adopters. Yes, you want to make sure the rabbits go to good homes, but don't insist on home visits etc.. Some of the adoption contracts scare off adopters. That's not to say you shouldn't have an adoption contract, but keep in mind that you don't need to be really controlling. Remember, a lot of the people you turn down will go buy rabbits off Craigslist or the neighborhood board instead, and will likely contribute to the overpopulation problem because you haven't been able to educate them.

When you get a rabbit in that needs a $3,000 surgery or amputation or whatever, what if instead of asking the public for donations toward that rabbit, you considered instead using that same amount of money to get 70 rabbits ready for adoption? I know it must be hard trying to save every rabbit that comes along, but think about it in a practical sense. You would save more rabbits in the long run if you use that money toward relatively healthy rabbits.

Take advice from breeders in the show community. We aren't the problem - irresponsible members of the public are. We both have a common cause, if you think about it. We want what's best for the rabbits!! Breeders actually know quite a lot about rabbits and rabbit health. We also know a LOT about proper nutrition. We only feed our rabbits the best! Not only that, but many breeders know a LOT more than rabbit vets!! Good show breeders are a wealth of information. They would be more than happy to answer all your questions and lend their advice and support. If you act polite and professional to them, you will get the advice and help that you wanted. :)

Another suggestion. Many diseases and ailments can be treated very easily from the home. That means you don't really need the vet, except for prescription drugs, surgeries, fecal floats, blood tests, etc.. Breeders have been treating this stuff for years. Ask a reputable show breeder for their advice, if you don't know how to treat these diseases etc..